Name of the Society: Medicinal ad Aromatic Plants Association of India (MAPAI).

Registered office: The office of the Society shall be at National Research Centre for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (NRCMAP), Boriavi, Anand 387310, Gujarat. And area of operation of the Society shall be the whole of India.

Membership

1. Membership of the Society shall be open to all individuals without any discrimination of race, sex or nationality who have interest on medicinal, aromatic and spice plants or actively engaged in research of the said plants and are committed to the objects of the Society.

2. The Organizations, Corporates or Institutions who has the same interests and the objects of the Society shall also become institutional member.

3. There shall be three classes of Membership viz., Honorary Patron Membership, Life Membership and Institutional membership.

   1. Honorary Patron Membership: Persons of distinction who have made outstanding contribution to the society through science, the Society as a mark of respect in recognition of their specific contributions invites them as Honorary Patron to the society.

   2. Life Membership: Any individual working or having interest on medicinal and aromatic plants and in the aims and objectives of the society can become the life member.

   3. Institutional Membership: Any Organization, Corporate or Institution having the same interests and the objects of the Society shall be an institutional member by paying the prescribed fees.

4. Membership application shall be made in the prescribed form along with the prescribed fees.

5. Membership fees shall be a Life Membership fee of Rs. 1000/- or USD $50 in case of Foreign members, or as shall be established by the Executive Committee on an annual basis will be levied from every member of the Society.

6. Annual Membership fees for Institutional Members shall be Rs. 3,000/- or USD $150 in case of Foreign Institutional Members or as shall be established by the Executive Committee on an annual basis and such members will have to pay the annual subscription fee every year to keep their membership active.

7. Membership fees may be paid in two equal installments but within the six months of the first installment payment and before the end of the financial year.

8. Payments to the Society will be by way of cash or draft/cheque in favor of 'Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Association of India' payable at Anand, Gujarat. Payments can also be done online through core banking.

9. Membership entitles to take part in meetings, discussions of research & educational opportunities related to Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and other related developing and sustaining activities of the Society.

10. A member of the Society has the right to elect and to be elected according to the bylaws of the Society.

11. There shall be no voting rights for Institutional Members and Honorary Patron Members.

12. Any member of the Society has the right to submit suggestions for discussion in the committee on any matter related to the interest of the Society.

13. Members shall have right to inspect the accounts of the Society on appointment with the General Secretary.

14. Members shall have right to forgo his membership after due information in writing to the Executive Committee however, such resignation shall not relieve the resigning member of the obligation to pay any dues or other charges theretofore accrued and unpaid.

15. Members shall pay his subscription within the prescribed time.

16. In all proceedings of the Society, no person shall be entitled to vote or be counted as a member, whose subscription at that time has been in arrears for a period exceeding three months as per section 15 of Act XXI of 1860.

17. The Society shall maintain a Roll of Members, who have been admitted and paid their subscription, stating their full address as given in the prescribed application for membership.

18. Whenever any member changes his address, he shall notify his new address to the Secretary of the Society, but if he fails to notify the change, his address, as recorded in the Roll of Members, shall be deemed to be his address.

19. Organization, Corporate or Institute members shall inform in writing of the names as their representatives to the President from time to time.

20. When a person is a Member of the Society by virtue of an office held by him, his membership shall terminate when he ceases to hold that office and the vacancy so caused shall be filled by his successor.

Functioning of Society

1. The Society shall have the Executive Committee as the Governing Body, Editorial Committee and the General Body.

2. There shall be an Election Committee when the elections are due to held to looks after the elections to the Society and whose constitution shall be according to the Society bylaws.

3. The funds of the Society shall consist of Membership fee, Grants from Government, Donations & Contributions from other sources and other Incomes & Receipts.

4. All donations to the Society are non-refundable.

5. All funds and properties of the Society shall be managed by the Executive Committee. Funds shall be deposited in an account with a Scheduled Bank. Approved cash transactions shall be carried out by any two of the President, Secretary or Treasurer.

6. The financial year of the society shall be from the 1^st April to 31^st March.

7. The accounts of the Society shall be audited by a Chartered Accountant annually. He shall be appointed by the General Body of the Society.

8. Shall publish a open access peer-reviewed journal and other material for pursuasion of the cause of the aim and objectives.

Governing Body

1. The Composition of the Governing Body of the Society for the purposes of Act XXI of 1860 shall consist members of Executive Committee comprising of President, two Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and four Executive Members. And General Body will elect the Governing Body every 3 years and the vacancies arising in the Executive Committee shall be nominated by the Executive Committee as per the Bylaws of the Society.

General Body Meeting

1. The General Body consists of all the members of the Society.

2. All members except Honorary and Institutional Members of the Society shall have the voting rights.

3. Each financial year shall be one year of the Society.

4. General Body Meeting of the Society shall be convened every year.

5. General Body Meeting shall be convened in connection with the Bi-Annual Meeting of AINRP on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants.

6. The yearly Receipts and Expenditure Account, Balance Sheet and Budget shall be presented and approved by the General Body. This shall be filed at the office of the Concerned Department within 21 days of the said General Body.

7. Annual List of Managing body of the Society (Executive Committee) shall be filed with the Registrar of Societies or with the concerned Authority once in every year as required under section 4 of the Act XXI, 1860.

8. Twenty five members of the Society shall form a quorum for the General Body meeting. Four members of the Executive Committee shall form the quorum for the Executive Committee meeting.

9. Minimum 20 days notice shall be given to the members for meetings with specification of the date, time, venue and the business of the meeting.

10. The General Body shall elect the members of the Executive Committee as Governing Body for the day to day functioning of the Society.

11. Every Executive Committee shall have the Director of NRCMAP as the President.

12. The elections for the positions of two Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer and four Executive Members shall be held at General Body Meeting or by secret ballot of post or electronic.

13. It is the duty of all members to be present in all General Body Meetings.

14. On normal circumstances if 50% or more members request in writing an extraordinary General Body shall be convened by the Secretary. If it is not convened by the Secretary the said members shall convene a General Body by them selves and shall take decisions.

15. Any changes in the Rules and Regulations should be intimated to the members 10 days in advance of the General Body by the Secretary. Three-forth members present in the General Body shall vote for the said changes to be valid. The changed Rules and Regulation shall be filed at the Office of the Concerned Department within 14 days of the said General Body.

16. Balance sheet and receipts and expenditure statement of the Society shall be audited by a Chartered Accountant annually. He shall be appointed by the General Body of the Society.

17. Powers to do lawful acts and make change as may be required with time and circumstances for the fulfillment of the above aims shall be with the General Body.

18. Implementation of all policy decisions and projects approved by the General Body shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee.

19. If any Executive Committee member, members or Executive Committee doing any unlawful activity to jeopardize the existence of the Society shall be dismissed by the General Body.

20. Only the general Body shall have the power to take a final decision on the matters regarding theft, missing or unable to recover the property of the Society.

Executive Committee

1. The Society shall be administered by the Member Executive Committee (Governing Body) which comprises President, two Vice Presidents, Secretary Treasurer and four Executive members. The Editor-in-Chief shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

2. The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by the General Body from amongst the eligible members of the Society and the Director of NRCMAP.

3. The Executive Committee shall nominate Editor-in-Chief on the basis of his/her record of meticulous service to any public cause in the form of dissemination of scientific information.

4. Quorum of the Executive Committee shall be four.

5. The Executive Committee shall have full powers to manage the affairs of the Society according to the Rules and Regulations of the Society.

6. The Executive Committee shall hold office for three years and shall be eligible for re-election provided, however, that the none of the Executive Committee Members & Office Bearers baring the President shall not hold office for more than two consecutive terms.

7. The standing Executive Committee shall be in charge until the new Executive Committee takes over the charge after the election.

8. Vacancies on the Executive Committee, if any can be filled by nomination by the Executive Committee for remaining period of the term.

9. Online meetings and discussions through e-groups shall be official equivalent of the physical meetings in the case of Executive Committee meetings. The proceedings of said meetings and discussions, like emails and other digital records shall be considered as the official and legal documents of the Executive Committee meetings.

Editorial Committee

1. The Editorial Committee comprises of Editor-in-Chief, four co-opted editors and a Managing Editor.

2. The Editor-in-Chief shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

3. Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the Executive Committee shall co-opt the four editors to the editorial board for the publication of Journal on the basis of their record of skills and dedication in editing and publishing scientific publications and meticulous service to any public cause.

4. The Executive committee shall nominate a Managing Editor to the Editorial Committee on the basis of his/her record of skills and dedication in editing and publishing scientific publications and meticulous service to any public cause.

5. Editorial Committee shall be responsible for the publication of journal for its visibility, scientific merit, and periodicity.

6. Editorial Committee shall decide about the style, format, and formulate rules and regulations so as to maintain a high standard of publications.

7. The Editors shall assist the Editor-in-Chief and in the absence of the Editor-in-Chief, the President shall nominate one of the Editors to act as Chief Editor.

8. The Editor-in-Chief and Editors will have a term of three years.

Election Committee

1. Election committee shall be formed of three nominated members by the Executive Committee when elections are due.

2. The committee elects one among them as a Chairman cum Returning officer.

3. The Election Committee formed shall function and conduct free and democratic elections with transparency to the Executive committee as per the rules, regulations and procedure laid out in accordance with Society constitution and bye-laws.

4. The results of the election shall be announced to the members before the end of the General Body Meeting (GBM) or by 10 business days after the end of voting.

5. Members can request that the Executive Committee to conduct an independent audit of the election results. The requesting members would be responsible for the costs of the audit.

Office Bearers

1. President

   1. Responsible for the general administration of the Society; Act as liaison between the Society and the public, governmental bodies and other organizations.

   2. Preside at Committee meetings, the GBM, and any special meetings of the Committee or the Society.

   3. Along with the Treasurer sign all checks issued by the organization.

   4. Exercise such duties as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive of any organization and such other powers as are delegated by the Executive Committee from time to time.

   5. All documents and records of the Society shall be in the name of the President.

   6. He shall have the power to take any action not contrary to those present to meet an emergency, subject to report to the committee at the earliest feasible date.

   7. Carry out such other work as may be entrusted to him by the committee and sue and be sued upon all matters relating to or affecting the Society.

2. Vice President

   1. In the absence of the President the any one of the two Vice Presidents shall assume duties and powers as are delegated to him by the President.

   2. Shall help the President in day to day administration.

   3. Other duties decided by the Executive Committee.

3. Editor-in-Chief

   1. Shall be nominated by the Executive Committee and be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

   2. Editor-in-Chief co-opts four editors for the editorial board in consultation with Executive Committee.

   3. Shall be responsible for the quality of all future publications of the Society including the journal.

4. Secretary

   1. The Secretary shall be from the NRCMAP institute.

   2. Shall be in charge, maintain and disseminate as appropriate the official records of the Society.

   3. Keep the minutes and records of the organization and ensure that these records are maintained in a secure and confidential manner.

   4. File any certificate required by any statute.

   5. Serve all notices to members of The Society.

   6. Act as the official custodian of the records and seal of the organization.

   7. Attend to all correspondence of the organization.

   8. Exercise all duties incident to the office of Secretary.

   9. Convene all general meetings of the Society and of the committee with the previous concurrence of the President.

   10. Carry out such other work as may be entrusted to him by the committee and sue and be sued upon all matters relating to or affecting the Society.

   11. Shall be Ex-Officio member of the Editorial Committee.

   12. Secretary shall be entitled to incur any legitimate expenditure for the Society not exceeding Rs.1000/- per month which will be required to be confirmed by the Executive Committee at its next meeting. This will be in addition to the amount sanctioned by the Managing Committee.

5. Treasurer

   1. The Treasurer shall be from the NRCMAP institute.

   2. shall have the care and custody of all funds belonging to the organization and shall be responsible for the finances of the organization including the opening of current/savings account and fixed deposit account with any scheduled bank approved by the Executive Committee and operating them jointly with the President or the Secretary in the manner prescribed by the Executive Committee.

   3. Prepare quarterly and annual financial statements and budget for submission to the committee.

   4. At intervals of no greater than once a year, arrange for the audit of the financial records of the organization by an independent certified accountant.

   5. Accept money and issue receipts on behalf of the Society.

   6. An imprest amount shall be retained by the Treasurer for day to day requirements of the Society's activities. The Executive Committee shall be the deciding authority in fixing this amount.

   7. Signed vouchers shall be filed for any amount spent.

   8. Be in charge of pass books and cheque books.

   9. Official seal of the Society shall be affixed on all receipts issued on behalf of the Society.

   10. Exercise such duties as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the Treasurer of any organization.

6. Executive Members

   1. Shall be representatives of four zones (North, East, West and South) of the country and elected by the General Body.

   2. Shall be assisting the Executive Committee in governing the Society.

Cessation of Membership

1. A member of the Society ceases to be a member on resignation from membership by a letter addressed to the Secretary, but his resignation shall take effect only on its acceptance by the Executive committee.

2. If membership fees is due at that time has been in arrears for a period exceeding three months as per section 15 of Act XXI of 1860.

3. Suspension owing conduct prejudicial to the interest of the Society.

4. On conviction of any offence in connection with the formation, promotion, management of conduct of the Society's affair or moral turpitude.

5. If he becomes unsound of mind or insolvent and on death.

Interpretation of rules and laying down procedure

1. In the event of a difference of opinion or dispute among the members of the Society about the meaning or interpretation of the rules or procedure the decision of the presiding authority of the meeting at which such difference or dispute arises shall be final and binding on all members of the Society.

Legal Proceedings (Section 6 of the Act XXI, 1860)

1. The Society may sue or be sued in the name of the President or Secretary as per provisions laid down under Section 6 of Act XXI, 1860.

Amendment of the constitution

1. Any amendment in the memorandum of Society of rules will be carried out in accordance with procedure laid down under section 12 and 12-A of XXI Act of 1860. No change in the constitution of the Society shall be made except at a General Body Meeting and when at least three-fifths of the members present there at have voted in favor of such a change.

Income and property of the Society

1. The income and property of the Society, however, derived shall be applied towards the promotion of the aim & objects of the society. No portion of the income and property of the Society shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly by way of dividends, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the persons who at any time are or have been members of the Society or to any of them or to any persons claiming through them or any of them, provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of remuneration of any member thereof or other persons in return for any service rendered to the Society.

Dissolution

1. Any number not less than three-fifths of the members of the Society may determine that it shall be dissolved, and thereupon it shall be dissolved forthwith, or at the time then agreed upon and after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Society or any of them but shall be dealt with in the manner provided by Sections 14 of Act XXI of 1860, and shall be given to some other registered Society with similar objects to be utilized for the same purpose referred to in Section I of Act XXI of 1860.

Act XXI of 1860 to Apply

1. All the provision under all the section of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 shall apply to this Society.

Essential Certificate

1. We, the undersigned being the First Governing Body members of the 'Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Association of India' as entrusted by the General Body do hereby certify that this is the correct copy of our Rules and Regulations as passed in the First General Body Meeting of desirous persons held on 8^th November, 2008.